


Standing On The Surface

by Pey119



Series: STS [6]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Demigods (Percy Jackson), Complete, F/M, Ghost Nico di Angelo, M/M, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-12 19:02:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19235218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pey119/pseuds/Pey119
Summary: STS universe. What would have happened if Nico hadn't killed himself. (mentions of suicidal tendencies)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The beginning of a spin off series, what could have happened throughout the years if Nico hadn't killed himself that night.

Nico laid on that attic floor, his gaze watching the noose he had made swing in the breeze. An eerie sight, a sight so terrifyingly peaceful. Soon, it'd all be over. Soon, he'd be in Heaven.

All his pain would be gone.

He'd be with his mom and sister.

Or...

He'd cease to exist. If there was no Heaven, if there was no Hell.

His comfort shattered at this thought. And it was this thought that kept him staring at the noose instead of hanging himself from it. Would he regret it?

He did for the rest of the day. He almost went back to it multiple times, stared at it for hours at a time. That swinging noose, so perfect in that attic, so lovely looking... It could kill him. It could finally kill him.

But he didn't let it. He didn't tie himself up there.

Nico di Angelo didn't hang himself, didn't kill himself. Didn't turn into a ghost as he could have.


	2. Chapter 1

It was a day later when Nico's life changed for good. He was in the attic like usual when he heard the two voices, voices new to the house and its occupants. With nothing else but the noose to distract him from the endless pain and boredom, Nico went to the window to see who was there. Whoever it was, he knew it wasn't his father.

The window of the attic was high up and smaller than a normal window. Nico had to stand on a box to look out it, his eyes scanning the grounds so far below. He eventually saw the two people walking up, the one changing how he looked at the world.

Blond hair, blue eyes. A yellow shirt and black pants. His hair was brushed neatly but not too short, the blond strands bringing out the color of his eyes. Beautiful eyes, eyes that Nico could vaguely remember to be like his mother's. What color had hers been? He couldn't remember.

Even from so far up these eyes struck him with a sense he had never felt before. A sense of home, maybe, or some type of comfort. A sense that there were still some good people in the world.

Nico left the attic in a sense of wonder as he heard his father start to talk to them. Who were they? Why were they there? Where had that blond haired boy even come from? People like him were rare. People like him weren't existent in Nico's life. Not the life he had been living for the past 17 years.

17 years...17 years too long.

"Nice house..." the young voice came from the hallway, making Nico freeze in surprise. Were they already up there? "Wonder how much it cost..."

"Hello?" Nico quickly went downstairs and stepped into the hallway, trying not to feel too much like a ghost creeping about the house. "Who are you?"

The boy froze for a millisecond before smiling, his teeth as white as snow. "Will Solace. My father works with your father."

"Oh." Nico leaned against the wall. "I'm Nico. Nice to meet you."

"You, too." Will scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry for just coming up here. I had to get away from them."

"If he's anything like my father then I understand." Nico crossed his arms. "Want to hang out in my room? It's warmer than this hallway."

"Yeah, sure." Will's smile kept Nico's gaze locked. "Show me the way."

Nico led Will to his bedroom, his hands moving to his pockets as he walked. Was this kid in the same situation as him? Had this kid also stared at a swinging noose, or maybe a knife or gun? Had this kid also wondered if Heaven was real? If this was Hell?

Nico had thought this was Hell until Will walked into his life, ironically. Was Will thinking the same about him? Probably not.

Nico wasn't one to play the angel, to play the hero. He was one to play the victim.

"Nice room." Will looked around the new bedroom, his eyes flicking to the pile of books in the corner. "You're a reader?"

Nico shrugged. "Nothing else to do around here."

"I like to practice." Will conversed. "I'm going to be a doctor."

"A doctor?" Nico sat on the bed. "That's a well-paying job."

Will shrugged. "I don't care much about the money. I just want to help people. Have you ever broken a bone?"

Nico shook his head. "No...have you?"

Will nodded. "My leg. The doctor fixed but it hurt so bad...I passed out from the pain. I want to fix that so it doesn't hurt so bad for kids."

Nico moved a hand over his mouth to stop the smile...his first genuine smile in years. "That's really nice of you, Will."

Will gestured to the bed. "Can I sit by you?"

Nico made sure his smile dropped before uncovering his face. "Yeah, sure. Do you know how long they're going to be?"

Will sighed but kept his constant smile. "Probably long... I can't image what I'd do if you weren't here."

Nico thought back to the day before, thought of the noose hanging in the attic above them. "Me neither."


	3. Chapter 2

They ate dinner together that night, Will and Nico. Their fathers were "talking about work" in Hades' office, but they didn't hear much talking going on. So they snuck their own food up to Nico's room, careful not to be heard on the creaking steps or in the echoing rooms.

Once they sat across from each other on Nico's floor, they ate in relative silence beside the occasional conversation. Asking about their day, asking if the food was good. Simple words that didn't mean much, simple words that Nico ignored as he stared at that smile, those blue eyes, that cheerful face... That beautiful boy.

But it'd never work between them. They were born in a time that didn't accept that, a time when it was almost unheard of. A time when they couldn't get married. A time where they would have to hide it from the world, which Nico would be willing to do if Will liked him back. They could make it work, he knew they could, but it'd be hard.

His life was already hard enough. But Will gave him something to live for, something to work towards. Will made him actually live, not just survive.

"I have a question." Will set his fork down, his smile gone. "About something you said earlier."

Nico stopped playing with his food long enough to glance at Will's face. "What is it?"

"You said...you said 'if he's anything like my father, then I understand'. Is your father...bad?" Will asked.

Nico frowned. "What classifies as bad?"

Will suddenly had more interest in his food. "I would classify mine as bad... He hits me sometimes, not a lot, but he still leaves bruises. Mom tried taking me and leaving but he caught her. She had to leave on her own. He...he doesn't ever let me do my own thing, you know? I'm not my own person around him."

Nico's smile held no humor. "My dad is bad, also, if that's the definition of it."

Will's head perked up. "Really?"

Nico nodded. "Hits me, too. A lot. He's with a different girl every week. Hates when I'm around. I'm usually in my room or the attic."

Will stared at Nico. "Really?"

"Really."

Will's eyes broke a little, along with his voice. "So I'm not alone..."

Nico stared into Will's eyes, his heart dropping when he saw his own emotions mirrored there. "No...no, you're not alone..."


	4. Chapter 3

It was weeks before Will came back. During the lonely days, Nico spent his time drawing out sketches of the house, including his room and the attic. In both pictures, he drew himself and Will.

Will had yet to see the attic, however. He drew lies.

In another picture he drew his father with a knife in his chest, laying on the kitchen floor. It made him laugh, his first laugh in years, but it wasn't of humor. It actually scared him, scared him to the point that he hid it away. He wasn't crazy, he wasn't a murderer... Right?

Will didn't seem to think so. Before he had left, he had made sure to hug Nico and ask to hang out again sometime. Nico had nodded his acceptance, unable to form words after that hug. Will Solace truly was a miracle.

After two weeks the trio came again, this time Mr. Solace dressed up for a night out. He simply dropped his son off before leaving with Hades, not a care in the world for where the boy would end up. "Don't break anything," he said. And that was it.

"Nico?!" Will called for his friend once he had watched the two men leave. "Are you here?!"

"Will?" Nico peeked down the staircase. "I thought I had heard you."

Will smiled. "Dad left me here with you. They both left."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Where did they go?"

Will shrugged. "Didn't say."

"Hm." Nico cracked his neck. "What do you want to do?"

Will didn't answer, his eyes focused on Nico's face, causing him to start to blush.

"What is it, Solace?" Nico asked. "Do I have something on my face or something?"

Will's face grew red as he quickly shook his head. "No, no, I'm sorry. I just...zoned out. Sorry."

"It's fine." Nico gestured to the second-floor landing. "Let's go upstairs. It's better to be out of the way if they come home drunk."

"Agreed." Will moved to the staircase, slowly losing his blush as the seconds ticked by. "Where are we going to go?"

"My room?" Nico looked to him to see his reaction. "If you don't want to we can go somewhere else."

Will hummed to himself. "What are the other options?"

"Library, attic, um...basement..."

"You have your own library?!" Will's eyes widened. "That's so cool!"

Nico just shrugged. "I guess."

"Can you show me?" Will asked. "I want to see. We don't have to stay long."

Nico nodded. "I guess. It's on the third floor so we'll have to head up there. Just don't ruin it or dad will kill me. And you. He'd kill both of us."

Will climbed the stairs slowly as the conversation faded, his eyes on Nico who was leading the way...that dark hair, that pale skin, the way he looked at everything with hatred but Will himself...

"Are we friends?" Will asked as they got to the second floor, starting up another staircase.

"Friends?" Nico frowned in confusion.

Will nodded. "Friends. This is the second time we've hung out together. I think we could be friends."

Nico shrugged. "Sure."

"Sure...?"

"We're friends." Nico's fingers ran over the railing. "Just don't go boasting about it."

Will smiled. "I can't promise anything."


	5. Chapter 4

"This is amazing..." Will's eyes were as wide as they could go as he looked around the library. "All these books are yours?"

"My father's." Nico corrected. "But I have access to them, yes. He never comes in here."

"Why not?" Will stepped further into the large room that was full of bookcases that went from the floor to the ceiling. In the center of this maze of bookcases, two armchairs sat with a coffee table between them. In front of this setup was a burning fireplace. "It's amazing...absolutely amazing... Why don't you live in here?"

Nico hummed to himself as he sat in one of the armchairs. "It is pretty nice... My dad doesn't come in here because it was my mom's favorite place. It reminds him of her. I light the fire sometimes and get a book or two but I always read them in my room. I don't know why."

"Can I borrow a book?" Will asked, scanning over the shelves. "I'll bring it back."

"I don't see why not." Nico shrugged. "Take a couple. I don't care."

Will quickly moved to the shelves and started to look at each book, his fingers moving over the titles. "So many about research and science..."

"It's interesting," Nico explained. "Really interesting. Give the one on the end a try."

Will's eyes moved to where Nico described. "Elements?"

Nico nodded. "Read that one."

"Okay..." Will took it hesitantly. "It should be good if you're acting like that."

Nico grinned. "You already know me so well."

After they went their separate ways that day, one thing changed about each one of them. Nico, though he'd never admit it, now spent all his time in that library. Will, much to the confusion of his father, spent all his time looking into his new favorite subject, elements.


	6. Chapter 5

"Nico?" Will looked around the large house, his hands deep in his pockets as he tried to find the other boy. His father had left with Hades again, having planned for Will to stay with Nico. But no matter where he looked, Nico wasn't in sight. "Hello?"

No one answered. As he got to Nico's bedroom, he found it empty of any occupants. The bed was made, everything was picked up. The stack of books that had once been in there was now gone.

"Neeks...?" Will sat on the bed. "This isn't funny. I...I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Something really important."

Still, no answer. Knowing Nico wasn't one to play jokes like this, Will did the only thing anyone would do in his situation. Snoop.

When he opened Nico's closet it was surprisingly empty besides one suit that was hanging. No other clothes were in sight, nor was anything else to take up space. Will was about to close the door again when he noticed the trap door in the ceiling, the trap door that looked suspiciously important. Knowing it'd be much more entertaining than just sitting in Nico's room, Will pulled it down without a second thought.

He expected some dust like any other unused space, but everything seemed just like Nico's bedroom. As he climbed up the ladder, he felt as if he was intruding on someone's personal space. But what would Nico possibly be hiding in the attic? Why hadn't he shown it to Will yet?

Will saw why as soon as he got up into the attic. The first thing his eyes landed on was the swinging noose. It may have been empty, but Will felt the same dread he would have if a body had been hanging there. Who left such a thing there?

Or had it not be used yet, but planned to?

"Nico..." Will eyed the stack of books beneath the noose. "Nico...why...?"

No answer. The boy didn't seem to be home, which worried Will even more. Where had he possibly gone? The last time Will checked, Nico never ventured outside the house. Not willingly.

"Nico?!" Will called, this time louder. "Nico! Where are you?!"

"Will!" the faint sound of Nico's voice sent Will racing to the window. As he was taller than Nico, he could just look through it without having to step on anything. There Nico was far below, just coming out of the forest. "Where are you?!"

Will sprinted from the attic to the first floor of the house, then outside to where Nico was still standing in a state of confusion. As soon as they met, Will pulled Nico into a hug tighter than he had ever before. "Nico..."

"Will." Nico took a second before hugging back. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"My dad dropped me off again," Will explained, his eyes closed as he took in Nico's scent. "I was trying to find you. Why were you in the forest?"

"I was just...looking," Nico mumbled. "What were you doing in the house? How long were you waiting for me?"

"Not long." Will lied. "But...I did find something... What are you planning?"

"Huh?" Nico broke the hug, causing Will's eyes to fly open. "What do you mean?"

"Noose. Attic. Books." Will crossed his arms. "You better not be planning to leave me, di Angelo."

Nico felt a blush spread over his cheeks. "Oh...you found it..."

"Yeah. Care to explain?"

Nico glanced away. "I was thinking about it before we met. I never took it down."

"Why not?" Will demanded. "I'm not losing you, Nico. It's not happening."

"And why not?" Nico asked.

"Because I love you."


	7. Chapter 6

Nico had never been more embarrassed, had never been so relieved, had never been so awkward. This boy━William Solace, a doctor in the making━this boy told him that he loved him. Romantically. Relationship wise. Illegally.

Gay. The word popped into Nico's mind, sent his heart into his stomach. Will was gay, Will was gay. He loved Nico.

Nico was gay. He had never admitted it out loud, didn't know if he could. In a society that hated it, in a society that shunned it away. He was gay.

Though he couldn't say it out loud, he loved that boy, too. He loved William Solace, the doctor to be.

Love... It was created to be amazing, created to bring peace and joy. But in a fallen world, all it brought was destruction. Rules. Disrespect. Hate.

In a world where love was just meant to be love, hate twisted it into damnation.

"You shouldn't say anything." Will finally blurted out, his face as red as Nico's. "Please don't say anything. Just forget about it and tell me why you were in the forest."

Nico closed his eyes for a minute before reopening them. "Um...I... Don't know how to explain it."

"Try."

"Can I take you there?" Nico asked. "That's the only way I can. I don't know why."

Will nodded. "Sure. Why not?"

Nico grabbed Will's hand and dragged him into the forest, each step sending his mind deeper into its unknown thoughts and further away from Will. The trees grew around them, tall and thick in the dim light. The canopy above kept the sunlight out, leaving the two boys in darkness. They followed a thin path that was overrun by weeds and roots and even some vines that snapped beneath their feet.

"Nico...are you sure you know where you're going?" Will asked nervously.

Nico nodded. "I've come here a lot recently. And there's a path."

"You aren't even looking at the path," Will argued.

Nico glanced down at their feet. "We're still on it, aren't we?"

Will couldn't help but chuckle. "I guess we are."

They walked in silence from there on out until they reached a clearing. Nico went and sat in the middle, the grass as green as anywhere else. But something felt...off. Will could feel it as soon as he saw Nico sat. "What is this place?"

"Exactly." Nico laid down and stared at the sun above. "I feel...I feel like something should have happened here but it didn't. I feel like I want to lay here forever."

Will stepped more into the clearing. "Okay..."

"I know it sounds weird," Nico replied miserably. "I can't help it."

"It's okay," Will assured. "Can I lay by you?"

Nico glanced over at him. "You would want to?"

Will smiled. "I like spending time with you, Neeks. No matter what we're doing. And it's pretty out here."

Nico looked back to the sky. "Okay, come on."

Will laid by Nico so that their shoulders brushed against each other but weren't fully touching. He stared up at the same sky Nico did, the same sky others looked up at. The same sky that graves laid to rest under.

After hours, Nico spoke. "I love you, too."


	8. Chapter 7

In one universe, Nico died when he was seventeen. He hung himself in his attic and killed his father. He haunted the house for hundreds of years, then was finally sent to Heaven. It was a rough universe.

This universe, things still happened. Things that made you wonder who was meant to meet who, that some friendships were meant to be, even if they weren't that strong. In this universe, some events mirrored the other.

Nico's father died when Nico was nineteen. A sickness in the chest. The property was left to Nico, who couldn't be happier. A boy who had escaped abuse.

Will moved into the house when they were 20. Nothing was legally known. They didn't get rightfully married but they lived as if they had. Shared bed, meals eaten together, coffee in the mornings and evenings.

Nico died when he was 23 from a sickness that had spread over the town. Three years with Will. Three years of love in his life. On his deathbed, Will was always at his side.

But even after he took his last breath, he didn't leave the house. He couldn't. Will buried him in the forest in the clearing they spent a lot of time in.

Will died when he was 24. Only a year went by before he couldn't be on his own anymore. He killed himself right where Nico had been planning to. A noose in the attic, now heavy with a body.

He also woke up in that house, also couldn't leave.


End file.
